New York Yankees pinch hitter Chase Headley strikes out in the eighth inning of a scoreless baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York, Tuesday, July 22, 2014. Headley was traded to the Yankees from the San Diego Padres. (AP Photo)
(AP)

The buyers and sellers are making themselves known as the days wind down to the July 31 trade deadline. Contenders are shopping for the final pieces to make a playoff run while teams already out of contention look to reload for next season.

Here are your midweek headlines from around Major League Baseball as the trade deadline approaches:

Forecasting the trade deadline

Each season, there are a handful of players that dominate the trade winds until they are either dealt or the deadline passes. This season is no different. Of this year's biggest targets, one already has a new home and it seems only a matter of time before the others pack their lockers as well.

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher David Price throws against the Minnesota Twins in the eighth inning of a baseball game, on his way to his 10th win as the Rays beat the Twins 5-1, Saturday, July 19, 2014, in Minneapolis. Price gave up four hits in eight innings. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)Jim Mone

USA Today's Jorge L. Ortiz put together a list of the biggest targets ahead of the deadline, including a handful of seasoned playoff veterans who could be a vital asset for a new team into October. The list is highlighted by pitchers, including Rays ace David Price, who has been a target of just about every contender -- most notably the Mariners, Cardinals and Dodgers. But who will make a deal for him?

Likely nobody, but with their deep pockets and win-now-or-else mind-set, the Dodgers look like the favorites. They are intent on building their farm system around high-level prospects but might be willing to relinquish at least some in the pursuit of Price.

The big names will dominate headlines leading up to the trade deadline, but sometimes it's the acquisition of a lower-profile role player that propels a team into the playoffs. One player who could fit the bill for the Athletics is Mariners second baseman Nick Franklin, who is not only expendable in Seattle but is a perfect fit in Oakland, writes Grantland's Ben Lindbergh:

You wouldn't think that a team with a plus-150 run differential could have a glaring weak spot, but only the Padres and Giants have gotten less firepower from the keystone than the A's, whose ragtag band of second basemen have produced a .225/.285/.280 line. Now that the Cubs are hoarding Addison Russell inside their infield Fort Knox, Billy Beane has less prospect wealth to work with, but Franklin has A's written all over him.

When trades are drawn up, often times one of the bargaining chips will be a "player to be named later" -- usually a minor leaguer sent one way or the other at a later date to finalize a trade. PTBNLs might seem like an unimportant formality, but ESPN.com notes five PTBNLs that turned into productive big leaguers. Topping the list is Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, who was the PTBNL as part of a trade between the Twins and Mariners in 1996.

Curious if your team will be fortifying its roster for the postseason or rebuilding for next year? The analysts at Sports Illustrated took their best guess at how each team will handle the trade deadline. In the National League, it appears the buyers will include the Dodgers, who will be hoping to deal for an upgrade to the fifth spot in the rotation currently manned by Dan Haren (8-7, 4.30 ERA).

If the Rays are dealing, the versatile and inexpensive [Ben] Zobrist is another top target; currently hitting .264/.353/.404, he carries a $7.5 million club option for next year. Also affordable from a salary perspective and of interest to potential suitors are shortstop Yunel Escobar and outfielder Matt Joyce. Deposed closer Grant Balfour (5.40 ERA, 7.1 BB/9 11 saves) is a change-of-scenery candidate, particularly if he can stop tipping his pitches.

Solarte was a tremendous story -- and player -- for the Yankees the first couple of months, hitting around .300 and leading the team in RBIs for a while. But the past two months, which included a trip to Triple-A, he has been less than a .200 hitter.

While he was something of a fan favorite, the Yankees took him off the scrap heap from Texas. He beat out Eduardo Nunez for the 25th spot on the roster and excelled from there. Considering where he started this year, as a nonroster invitee, to become an important piece in this deal is a win for the Yankees.

Despite Headley being in the midst of a down season, NJ.com's Brendan Kuty found five reasons the trade makes sense for the Yankees. First and foremost, Headley will provide stability at third base, a position that has been in flux all season. Another reason to be hopeful Headley can regain the form he showed in 2012, when he finished fifth in the NL MVP voting, is that he will be leaving a pitchers' park for the decidedly hitter-friendly confines of Yankee Stadium:

Headley hit 31 homers and had 115 RBI in 2012. He was hurt for much of 2013 and has struggled this season. But maybe the 30-year-old just needs a change of scenery. Headley's also a switch hitter. He'll be excited to get out of the spacious Petco Park. And he hits better from the left side, anyway. That short porch has helped many a new Yankees hitter.

Headley made the most of his Yankees debut on Tuesday, coming up a hero with a game-winning RBI in the 14th inning:

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Lee auditions for suitors

Even during his two-month rehab from a strained left elbow, Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee remained one of the most prized potential trade deadline acquisitions. Lee finally made it back to the bump Monday but gave up six earned runs over 5 2/3 innings in a loss to the Giants.

Although he broke several bats and gave up an inordinate number of bleeders, it wasn't the type of performance that's going to make general manager Ruben Amaro's cell phone vibrate with calls from motivated suitors.

"I thought he showed some rust," an AL scout said of Lee. "His fastball command was off and he wasn't nearly as precise as usual. He threw too many hittable pitches, and his overall stuff was flatter than normal. Give him another start before rushing to judgment. He threw strikes, but not with the level of precision he typically does."

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Cliff Lee throws a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on Monday, July 21, 2014, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)Michael Perez

As many as 10 scouts were at the park to watch Lee's return to action, but it's possible not all of them even have a realistic shot to land Lee due to the terms of Lee's contract that restrict trade destinations. The list of teams Lee can be traded to without his consent are the Braves, Indians, Astros, Marlins, Twins, Mets, Padres, Rays and Nationals.

It is unlikely that the Phillies would deal Lee within the division to either the Braves, Mets or Nationals and even less likely that teams such as the Rays or Twins can afford to pay Lee's remaining salary.

That does not mean Lee cannot be traded, but teams such as the Yankees, Red Sox and Orioles have said to have kicked the tires on acquiring Lee, but he would have the ability to block or allow trades to those teams.

One way or another, it seems that it will take a least one more start before the July 31 non-waiver deadline for Lee to showcase his health and ability to make it even worth the Phillies' trouble to move him.

Injury notes

Los Angeles Dodgers' Yasiel Puig holds his left hand after he was hit by a pitch during the third inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday, July 19, 2014, in St. Louis. Puig left the game in the eighth inning and the Cardinals went on to win 4-2. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)Jeff Roberson

• Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, an NL MVP candidate, landed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with a hip strain. Tulowitzki currently leads the league in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage, but will have to make up ground in the MVP race upon his return to the lineup: (via Denver Post)

The chronic tightness in his left hip can be traced back to May 29, 2008 when he tore his left quadriceps tendon while fielding a groundball during a game at San Francisco.

"It is tough. You guys know how hard I've worked to try to stay healthy. This whole year I've done a decent job at it," he said before the Rockies hosted the Washington Nationals at Coors Field. "It's always going to be a battle for me, with my injury history."

Manager Terry Francona told reporters before Tuesday night's game that "Asdrubal is still pretty locked up. We'll let the trainers work on him and hopefully it starts to loosen up. Once it loosens up, the hope is he'll be fine.

"If it persists, we'll look at trying to help him in another way. There's not much the trainers can do in the first 24 hours. They're just trying to calm it down."

Around the Horn

• Offense in baseball is down, and the growing popularity of defensive shifts has something to do with it. Is the institution of an 'illegal defense' rule on baseball's horizon? Some people within baseball are hoping so. Even Rays manager Joe Maddon, whose team was the earliest major adapter of the defensive shift, noted that maybe something needs to be done: (via Sports Illustrated)

"I liked it better when people thought we were the crazy ones," said Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon.

• Tigers ace Justin Verlander started the season performing well below expectations and made a variety of tweaks to his mechanics to regain his usual form. Monday, Verlander made a last-minute adjustment just before beginning his warm-up routine that appeared to pay off right away: (via MLive.com)

Verlander said late Monday that he made a last-minute tweak to his arm action after analyzing a couple pictures on the internet just minutes before warming up in Arizona.

Verlander wanted to look at a few photos to see if he had changed his grip from previous years. What he spotted, instead, was a difference in his arm.

"I said, 'Oh, that doesn't look the same,'" Verlander said. "So, I went out and tried to throw the way I used to throw, and immediately, when I got on the mound to throw my bullpen to warm up, I was able to locate the way that I felt I should."

• The Angels have their sights set on taking down the defending AL West champion Athletics, and they're letting their ace loose to track them down. Garrett Richards has established himself as the Angels top pitcher this season but is on pace to surpass 200 innings, which is well above his previous career high. Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto said he isn't concerned about the inning count and will not rest Richards. (via MLB.com)